bates



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. W, BATES. ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

No. 477,734, Patented June 28, 1892.

4L 1110., WASHINGTON u c 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J W BATES ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

No. 477,734. Patented June 28, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH \V. BATES, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO THE BATES & BLAKE ELECTRIC RAILWVAY CONDUIT COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,734, dated June 28, 1892.

Application filed March 17, 1892.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WV. BATES, of Minneapolis, in the county of l-Iennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and 5 useful Improvements in Electric Street-Railway Systems, (Case No. 3,)of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to electric street-railway systems; and its object is to provide means for supplying the electric motors upon the cars with current from a feed-wire arranged beneath the level of the ground. For this purpose I provide a series of blocks or posts projecting above the surface of the ground and arranged in the middle of the track. These posts have side slots or openings, in which are contained contact-pulleys arranged upon vertical axes. The feed-wire is connected with each of these pulleys, which are insulated from the metal part of the posts, and upon the car I arrange a flexible cable, dependingly held thereon and in position to make contact with the several rollers or pulleys, which are arranged at shorter intervals than the length of the contact-cable. This cable is secured by horizontal spring-arms held by brackets extending down from the car-truck; and, further, my invention consists in various details of construction and in oombinations, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation taken through the car and street-car track. Fig. 2 is a skeleton plan view showing the flexible cable and the positions of the contact-posts. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the car, showing means for shifting the end of the cable to carry the same into line with the desired contact-posts at the switches or curves in the line. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the horizontal spring-arms for holding the cable. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical elevation of one of the contact-posts. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section thereof 011 the line 00 0c of Fig. 5.

I have deemed it unnecessary in the drawings to show the construction of the car or Serial No. 425,235. (No model.)

the electric motors thereon, all of these constructions being well known.

As shown, 2 represents the wheels of the car, and 3 the platform or truck-frame thereof. The track I is laid in ordinary manner upon the cross-ties 5, and 6 represents the surface of the road-bed and street. At intervals along the track, and resting upon the cross-ties 5 thereof, I arrange the contact-posts 7, (shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 6,) each having a flarin g base 8, provided with bolt-holes 9, through which bolts are inserted to firmly secure the posts. The posts are made as light as possible and their tops project some distance above the surface of the road-bed,usually from four to eight inches. The upper surfaces or tops 10 of the posts are rounded nicely, so that a wheel of a vehicle striking the same will readily slide off. In the inner side of each post I provide a deep slot or opening 11 and in this opening arrange the contact-roller 12. Each roller is secured therein upon the stationary bolt or shaft 13, insulated from the body of the post by the insulating material 14. The inner end of the bolt is preferably secured in the lower wall 15 of the post, and the outer half of the contact roller or pulley is protected by the walls 16, extending partly around the opening 11.

On the car I provide brackets 17, having on their lower ends the sleeves 18. These. brackets may be of any desired number, and in each sleeve I arrange a reciprocating horizontal bar or arm 19, normally held forward toward the contact-posts by the springs 20, ar- 8 5 ranged in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3. On the other ends of these arms 19 I provide the clamps 21 to hold the flexible cable 22, which cable may be made up of copper or iron wire. The ends of the cable are preferably 0 stiffened somewhat and bend away from the posts to form the shoe ends of the cable. This cable is of greater length than the distance between any two contact-posts. Hence it will be seen that it will always be in contact with at least one of the posts, and the cable being flexible a good contact is always insured both upon a straight track and upon curves and switches. In the latter places the contactposts are arranged in such positions as to al- I01) low the passage of the horizontal arms, and for the purpose of throwing the end of the cable into line with the post on the switch or curve I provide a lever 25, pivoted on the block 26 upon the platform of the car and having its lower end 27 yoked over the end of the forward arm 19. By throwing the lever in one direction or the other it will be seen that the end of the cable may be forced in either direction to engage the desired contact post. The quadrant 27 is provided on the block 26, and a latch 28 is arranged upon the lever 25 to engage the same for locking the lever in any position desired.

The contact-rolls are, it will be seen, of a much smaller diameter than the top of the posts, and hence are removed from possible contact with the vehicles or the feet of persons or animals.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with the track and the car to run thereon, of a series of posts projecting above the surface of the road-bed and having slotted openings, contact rollers or pulleys insulated from the posts and arranged in said openings, at feed-wire connection with each of said pulleys, and a flexible contact cable carried upon the car and adapted to suecessively engage the several contact-pulleys, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with the track and the car to. run thereon, of a series of posts arranged between the rails of said track and projecting above the surface of the road-bed, said posts provided with openings or slots in their inner sides, contact pulleys or rollers arranged in said posts and upon vertical axes, electrical connections with each of said pulleys, and a flexible contact-cable dependingly and yieldingly arranged upon said car and adapted to engage said pulleys, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the street-car 4 track and an electric car to run thereon, of a series of contact-posts arranged between the rails of said track, said posts having slots or openings in their inner sides, said posts projecting above the surface of the road-bed, and 5 a flexible cable carried on said car, the horizontal spring arms or rods connected with said cable, and the brackets for supporting the same, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the track, of the 5 electric car to run thereon, the cross-ties of said track, the posts '7, arranged on said crossties and projecting above the surface of the road, said posts having openings in their sides,

contact-rolls arranged in said openings, feed- 6 wire connections with said rollers, the flexible cable, the arms 19 thereof, the springs upon said arms, the sleeves wherein said arms are secured, the supports for said sleeves, and

means for shifting the end of the cable, as and 6 for the purpose-specified.

5. The combination, with the track and the car to run thereon, of a flexible contact-cable carried by said car and dependingly and yieldingly secured thereon, with the contact-posts 7 7 projecting above the surface of the road and arranged between the rails of the track, said posts having openings 11 in their sides, the

overhanging tops of said posts, and the insulated contact rollers or pulleys arranged in 7 said openings, a source of electricity being connected therewith, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of February, A. D. 1892. E

JOSEPH W. BATES. In presence of C. G. HAWLEY, F. S. LYON. 

